Not a Mistake
by WellxWisher
Summary: Piper and Leo discuss their situation on the eve of Chris' fifth birthday. Oneshot, set in the unchanged future. Formerly An Accident...Not a Mistake. Scenes added as requested. Final copy: Please R&R!


Not A Mistake

Just a little Piper/Leo oneshot I wrote on the spur of the moment a while ago. I found it and figured I'd post it. Then my lovely readers gave me some important feedback, and I revised it a bit. Here is the final final draft:-) Let me know what you think!

Note: Takes place in the unchanged future, where Paige was killed by the Titans. Wyatt was still taken for a short time by the Cleaners. The indicates ;; Piper speaking. – indicates anyone else.

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed.

Dedication: To PaigetheSuperWhitelighter and GrumpyK: Thanks for letting me know that this needed the extra scene:-) You guys are great! Also to xxMrs Justin Timberlakexx, for your support and kind message.

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Kitchen. Piper Talking on the Phone

;;Phoebe, I have to go. Bedtime.

-Same here. I'll see you tomorrow, sis. Kiss my darling nephews for me.

;;All right. Tell Jason hi.

-Sure will. Night, Piper.

;;Night, Phoebes.

Conservatory. Piper, Wyatt, and Chris

;;Okay boys, time for bed. Wyatt, go brush your teeth and get into your pjs.

-Five more minutes, mom? Please?

;;No way, kiddo. You need your sleep.

-Three then?

;;Wyatt…

-Fine, fine, I'm a goin'.

;;Thanks honey.

;;Hey Peanut. Didn't you hear me? It's time for bed.

-I know.

;;What's wrong, sweetie? You look sad.

-I'm okay.

;;Peanut, you know how I'm always saying what a bad liar your Aunt Phoebe is?

-Uh huh.

;;Well, you're even worse.

-Am not.

;;Spill, Peanut. What's the matter?

-I'm just in a bad mood.

;;Why? Your birthday party is tomorrow. Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Jason are going to fly up from San Diego, and all your friends from magic school will be there.

-They're all Wyatt's friends.

;;Uncle Darryl and Aunt Carol and Darryl Jr. and Andy are coming too.

-Is Aunt Shelia coming?

;;No, baby. Uncle Darryl and Aunt Shelia are divorced now.

-Like you and daddy?

;;Kind of.

-So she has to stay away from Uncle Darryl and Darryl Jr. and Andy, like daddy stays away from me?

;;Is that what this is about, sweetie? Your dad?

-He never comes to my birthday parties. He always comes to Wyatt's.

;;Chris—

-And he always comes when you call him, even though you usually don't.

;;Peanut—

-He hates me.

;;Sweetheart, never! Your father loves you very much.

-But he left me.

;;When did he leave you, baby?

-Yesterday. I called for him and he came, and when I said I wanted to play solider like he does with Wyatt, he said that he had to work and not to call unless it was an emergency.

;;He did?

-Uh-huh.

;;Well, Peanut, I guess I'm going to have to ruin your birthday surprise.

-What?

;;You know why Daddy couldn't play with you?

-Why?

;;He was busy running a special errand for me.

-He was?

;;Yep. I sent him to get part of your birthday present.

-Really?

;;Sure did. I told him to make sure he kept it a secret until tomorrow, when he'd come to your party and put on an orb-lights show.

-Daddy's coming to my party? And he's gonna put on an orb-lights show?

;;Just for you, Peanut. So you see, Daddy was just trying to keep my secret. It wasn't supposed to make my special Chris sad. Do you forgive me?

-Yes Mommy.

;;Thank you, baby. Now go brush your teeth and get to bed. You're gonna have a big day tomorrow.

-Okay Mommy. I love you.

;;I love you too, angel.

Piper's Bedroom

;;Leo. Leo, please come, it's important.

-Hi.

;;Hi.

-How are you?

;;I'm not quite sure, actually.

-What's the matter?

;;Have a seat. It's your son.

-Wyatt?

;;No. Your other son, Chris. Your son whose fifth birthday is tomorrow.

-Oh no…I completely spaced it…

;;Leo…

-He can't be five already. Seems like yesterday he was just a little bundle in your arms.

;;Leo, Chris said that you left yesterday after he called you and asked you to play. He said that you told him not to call unless it was an emergency. Is that true?

-There was a crisis up there, Piper.

;;I don't care, Leo. He's your son.

-I'll make it up to him. I'll orb an extra big present down tomorrow.

;;No you won't.

-I won't?

;;Nope. You'll go and get him a fantastic present, then come down here and stay the rest of the night. Chris will wake up in the morning and come get me, and you will be here with a smile on your face and a hug waiting.

-Piper, I can't stay tonight, I have work—

;;Dammit, Leo—

-You know I want to, but I can't—

;;You will. Or else you'll never see Chris or me again.

-What?

;;My little boy isn't growing up without a father, Leo. If you don't step up so help me God I will get married to someone else and cast a spell making him and Chris think that he is his son, not yours.

-You wouldn't. The other Elders wouldn't allow it.

;;Really? Because I think they'd back me on this one. Then all you'd need to come down to earth for is Wyatt…I'd be out of the picture, and so would the other child they seem to think is so unimportant.

-Piper—

;;I mean it, Leo.

-I can't believe you just said that. How could you? He's my son—

;;Leo…you are my one true love. I'll never stop loving you…you're the one that's in my heart and soul and I miss you so much every day…it hurts so badly. But it's not about me, Leo. It's about our sons. I have to do what's best for them, even if it tears up my very being. And so do you.

-I'll be back in a half an hour. Is Chris still crazy about dragons?

;;Let me put it this way—if Wyatt was half as obsessed as Chris is, we never would have gotten him back from the Cleaners.

-Perfect. I'll be back soon.

;;I'll keep the bed warm.

-I love you.

;;I love you too, Leo.

Piper's Room, Half an Hour Later

;;Well, what did you get him?

-Hold on one sec…he's gonna flip when he sees this.

;;Okay, I have to be a paranoid mom: you didn't get him a real dragon, did you?

-The next best thing.

;;Oh my gosh. Leo, it's beautiful. Where did you find it?

-Some faeries in Ireland weave magical blankets like this.

;;How can the dragon fly around like that?

-Faerie enchantments. Even though the dragon is just a flat moving picture, the blanket will scorch any being that tries to harm the owner.

;;It's perfect. I don't know how I'm going to keep it away from Wyatt.

-I'll have a talk with him if it gets to be a problem.

;;He is going to be thrilled.

-Piper?

;;Yes?

-Can I kiss you?

;;I don't know, can you?

Piper's Bed, an Hour Later

-Piper?

;;Hmm?

-Would you really do that? Cast a spell making Chris think I'm not his father?

;;No…I wouldn't have the heart to actually do that. But I am serious, Leo, about you being here for Chris. He needs his father.

-I know

;;Why is this such a problem, anyway? I know you're busy, but you always find at least a little spare time for Wyatt.

-Piper-

;;Please don't tell me you have a favorite.

-No! Of course I don't. It's just…

;;Just what?

-I love Chris, he's my son…but I don't feel…connected to him.

;;Why not?

-With Wyatt I got to be there; I got to feel him move inside of you, I held your hand when he was born, I changed his dirty diapers, stayed up all night when he was colicky, all the fatherly stuff.

;;And?

-And with Chris it was different. Paige was dead, and we separated after I became an Elder helping you and Phoebe vanquish Chronos.

;;I'm not really following.

-Chris was an accident.

;;Excuse me? Our son is not-

-I said accident, Piper, not mistake. He wasn't planned, he happened because of moment of weakness, and the timing couldn't have been worse, what with Meta and Demetrius trying to unearth the Hollow.

;;Okay…

-So all this happened right after he was conceived; I had to work 24/7 just to keep the guardians of the Hollow protected. You and Phoebe had five new demons to vanquish every day. You weren't even able to tell me about Chris until you were eight months pregnant. I never once felt him move in your stomach. The day he was born I was in the underworld, vanquishing demons that had stolen the Hollow.

;; I know, Leo, but—

-Piper, I didn't even get to hold him until he was a month old. And when you handed him to me for the first time, he started screaming.

;;He was just fussy that day; he calmed down as soon as you gave him a bottle.

-Yeah, and after Phoebe started cooing at him. Piper, he felt more comfortable with his aunt than his own father.

;;Leo, he was just a little baby, and he had never met you before. Besides, Phoebe and I got the rest of the Titans a couple of months later, and you got a two-week vacation. If I remember correctly Chris was in your arms sunup to sunset each of those 14 days.

-For 14 days. Then it was back to normal. Monthly visits, if demon activity was light. You started dating that Greg person…

;;Which fell through.

-I know, but Wyatt didn't like it. He'd orb up there every time Greg came over. Which was often. I go to see him all the time. Chris, on the other hand, loved the guy. I think he liked him better than me.

;;Hold on—are you holding a grudge against your five-year-old son because he got along with my ex-boyfriend, who he got to see more than once a month when he was a tiny infant who didn't know any better?

-No, it's not that.

;;Then what is it? Cause I'm trying really hard to understand.

-I'm Wyatt's dad. He knows it. I know it. We have a bond, a bond that began before he was born. Chris…I'm his father. I helped make him. I gave him whitelighter genes and green eyes. That bond, though, that dad/son bond…it's not there. Not in the same way. I love him just as much as I love Wyatt, but I missed so much, and when I see him I feel that missing link, and it kills me that its not there, that I don't know him like I know Wy. I feel like his father…not like his dad.

;;I see.

-I'm horrible.

;;A little.

Chris' Party, the Orb-lights Show. Piper and Phoebe

-So this is a great party

;;It really is.

-I don't think I've seen Chris happier.

;;I know. I'm so glad Leo was able to come.

-Actually, I'm really surprised he's here at all. He's missed the last four.

;;Phoebe, sister of mine that I love?

-Yes?

;;Hush.

That Night. The Kitchen. Piper and Phoebe

-Need some help with those dishes?

;;Phoebe, what are you still doing here? I thought you and Jason had to catch a plane back.

-We're gonna stick around tonight, fly back tomorrow. I figured you might need some help taking down all the balloons.

;;Gee, thanks.

- But you don't want us here.

;;Don't be silly. Of course I do. We never get to see you anymore.

-Right, family togetherness…that's why you sent Wyatt home with Dad.

;;I figured Chris needed some one on one time with Leo. They're upstairs reading bedtime stories right now.

-Uh huh. And after Chris falls asleep, you and Leo can have the dirty adult version of "one on one" time.

;;Phoebe!

-He was here last night, wasn't he? It happened again. You two…

;;Phoebe, let it go, please.

-Piper, I can't let it go.

;;Yes you can. You can let it go and just, just…

-Sweetie…don't cry! Come here. Honey, Leo has his job to do, you have yours, and…Piper, I've lost two sisters. I can't keep seeing your heart broken time and again.

;;Ph-Phoebe, thanks, but it's a little late for that.

Outside Chris' Room. Piper and Leo

;;He asleep?

-Yeah. One story and he was out like a light.

;;He had a long day.

-Do you think he liked his party? Was the orb-light show good enough?

;;I'll bet you five bucks that I'll hear about nothing else from him for the next month.

-Really?

;;Really.

-So…what are Phoebe and Jason up to?

;;They went to rent a movie. They should be back in a couple of hours.

-A couple of hours? To rent a movie?

;;You know Phoebe. At least thirty minutes to pick something out, another twenty arguing with Jason over whether or not they should get another one…

-Then a "quick" stop at the store to get various snack foods…

;;An ungodly amount of ice cream…

-Add in travel time…

;;Two hours, easy.

-I guess some things never change.

;;I wish more things didn't.

-So…

;;So…

-What now? Two hours of free time.

;;Right. I think I'll get a head start on laundry.

-Oh.

;;I mean, you probably need to get back to work and all, what with the unexpected personal day…they're probably getting impatient up there.

-Probably.

-;;

;;So the boys will be at magic school Wednesday, if you have time to go see them.

-Absolutely. I'll do my best.

;;And I'll see you…around. A couple of months, I guess. For Wyatt's school play.

-Wyatt's school play. Check.

;;Well…

-Well…

;;Thanks for making Chris' day.

-No problem.

;;Goodnight, Leo.

-Goodnight, Piper.

Piper's Room, Two Months Later

;;Leo. I need to talk to you.

-Hi.

;;Hi.

-What's up?

;;Chris…

-What about Chris?

;;He's…he's not our youngest anymore.

-What…what are you saying?

;;I'm pregnant, Leo. Phoebe got a premonition. It's a little girl.

-Wow. That's…that's great.

;;Yeah it is.

-Have you told the boys?

;;Yeah.

-What do they think?

;;They're pretty excited.

-Good, good.

;;Another good accident.

-But not a mistake.

;;Leo?

-Piper?

;;How are we going to get through this? Raise three children with you away ninety-eight percent of the time?

-I don't know, Piper. And I am so sorry that I don't.

;;I know.

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Thanks so much for reading!


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